HIGHLIGHTS
- Children and families across Europe and Central Asia face multiple risks, including earthquakes, floods, extreme weather, disease outbreaks, conflict and mixed migration movements. As of October 2024, floods, landslides and mudflows had affected around 148,779 people, 1 and more than 95,204 measles cases 2 had been registered as of early September. These conditions necessitate continued preparedness, response and disaster risk reduction efforts.
- Following the 2023 earthquakes in Türkiye, around 732,000 people still live in temporary settlements. 3 Armenia hosts more than 142,000 refugees, 4 including at least 36,000 children who fled their homes following the escalation of hostilities in 2020 and 2023.
- Mixed migration along the Mediterranean and Balkan routes continues to overwhelm services. More than 123,878 refugees and migrants had arrived in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy and Serbia as of September 2024, 5 including increased numbers of unaccompanied children and survivors of gender-based violence.
- UNICEF requires $80.8 million to deliver critical humanitarian support for people in need in Armenia and Türkiye, support refugee and migrant children and address emerging crises; and invest in emergency preparedness and ensure disaster risk reduction capacities of governments and partners.
HUMANITARIAN SITUATION
Children and families in Europe and Central Asia face multiple crises, including earthquakes, floods, disease outbreaks, conflict and extreme weather. Around 160 million children in the region are vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, including extreme temperatures, air pollution, water scarcity and floods. 9 Three out of five child health risks are linked to climate change, and one in two children are exposed to heatwaves, compared to the global average of one in four. 10 As of October 2024, floods, landslides and mudflows had affected around 148,779 people in Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Romania and Tajikistan, causing casualties, displacement and infrastructure damage. The ongoing war in Ukraine continues to have economic, political and social impacts in surrounding countries.
By September 2024, more than 95,204 measles cases, including deaths, had been registered in the region during the year, representing 35 percent of global cases; 5 of the global top 10 countries with the highest incidence of measles are in the region. In Türkiye, the February 2023 earthquakes had devastating impacts on the lives of 15.6 million people, including 1.8 million refugees, in 11 affected provinces. 12 One and a half years after, around 732,000 people, including 210,000 children, are still living in temporary settlements. Adequate shelter, access to water and sanitation facilities (especially hygiene items for women and girls), as well as essential health, nutrition and child development services remain major needs in the affected provinces.
Continued mixed migration, driven by political instability and conflict, has overwhelmed services along the Mediterranean and Balkan routes with more than 123,878 refugees and migrants arriving in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy and Serbia between January and September 2024. In addition, the number of children entering Spain through southern borders – especially children who are unaccompanied – continued to rise, with around 37,970 refugee and migrant arrivals by September, including 27,758 in the Canary Islands. 13 Many unaccompanied children lack adequate care and accommodation, and the risks of violence, xenophobia and gender-based violence persist. Instability and conflict in the Middle East could potentially further increase the arrivals of vulnerable populations. In addition, the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan continues to pose a risk of large refugee movements into neighbouring Central Asian countries and beyond.
Armenia hosts more than 142,000 refugees, including at least 36,000 children who fled their home following escalations of hostilities in 2020 and in September 2023. Given the country’s large refugee population compared with the national population (62 refugee children per 1,000 local children), such key services as education, social services, health and psychological support remain overstretched. Demand for mental health support and cash assistance remains high.
Within a context of increased exposure to risks and hazards, resultant emergencies and growing fragility in the region, there is an urgent need for continued and strengthened investment in emergency preparedness, response and risk mitigation to protect children, their families and their communities.
